Fire Emblem: Alternative
by Airship Canon
Summary: As the world teeters on the brink of annihilation, a false step becomes the herald of destruction. When all is lost, another chance to set things right appears... but when time itself bears its fangs, despair lies ahead. [Rewrite Continuation of "Howl to the Future"] Rating is T for now, but may/likely will become M later.
1. Premonition: Howl to the Future

**Fire Emblem: Alternative**  
>By Airship Canon<p>

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><p><strong>Warning: Reader Discretion is Advised<strong>. The following contains themes of Harder than Hard, Time Travel Romance, Shout Out, Anyone Can Die, that one level, and a bunch of others. If you don't know what those are, stop reading and go to TVTropes, that will ruin your life far quicker than I. This is a rewrite of the fic known as "Howl to the Future", and as a warning, later on it may have its rating changed from T to M due to potential violent or sexual content [I don't write Lemons- I've tried, it doesn't end well]. Now Rise up and Dance with pride, Warriors who've accepted Fate!

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><p><strong>Premonition: Howl to the Future<strong>

"Robin! I'm going to finish it!" Chrom's voice called out, as he saw his opening.

Robin turned his head back to face his closest friend. "No." Robin said, placing his hand out. "This is my fight… the one I must finish."

"Robin!? What are you?!" Chrom called out- as dark magic began surrounding Robin's hands.

"YOU…WOULDN'T….DARE!" The Fell Dragon taunted back, his blood-red eyes staring into Robin's.

"I would… and I will. The evils you would visit on this world are unthinkable... In some way, I—we share the blame. It's only right we meet our end together!" Robin said directly, his eyes set forward, as the magic built up, ever stronger. "_In proposito tenet, draconem appetat. Desperatio autem est veritas, verus dolor, fecit. Et ineluctabilis fati!"_

_"_NOOOOOO!" The Fell Dragon yelled, Robin's doppelganger trying to move away from the coming attack, but injuries he had sustained rendered him unable to do so.

_"RUGIET CECIDERINT DRACO!" _Robin yelled, finishing the spell, and hurling the blast of magic- a thunderous explosion blew the Fell Dragon to bits, the red-eyed doppelganger disappearing into nothing as torrents of magic surrounded both of them.

Robin's body started shimmering as dark energy poured from him. Tears welled up in his eyes as he spun, meeting a broken and despairing looking Exalt's look in the eyes.

"Robin! No!" Chrom shouted as he saw Robin's body start to disintegrate in front of him.

"…Robin…!" Lucina called out, running towards them.

"Thank you, Chrom. For...everything... Tell the others...my last thoughts were of them... And Lucina… I'm sorry… I couldn't be a better husband… Even now, know that.. I love you… take care of Mark and Morgan... They need their mother… I'm… sorry… may we meet again… in a better life." Robin choked out a few final words to the two who stood by him.

Lucina dropped her sword, silently weeping as she watched Robin fade away.

Chrom, merely cursed the Gods.

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><p>"Hahaha..! You fool! Did you really think you could stop me? Did you really think that plan would work? You had your chance. You might have been able to spare your pathetic little race a few hundred more years. But you played right into my hands!" A voice shot through Robin's mind. He looked around. Everything was dark- no sight, no sound, no nothing. "Who do you think it was, that cried out, hoping you wouldn't strike that blow? Did you really think it was me? Tell me… who is it that you adore the most? That Ylissean woman? Lucina? The time-traveler? She dies first."<p>

"What?!" Robin called out.

"Oh, just catching on, are you?" The voice responded. "You never killed me. You killed the original you. Soon we will awaken fully, and then… then you will know despair well enough. Thanks for completing the Awakening for me though..! Haha..!"

"Like hell if I'll allow it!" Robin yelled back at the voice. "I'll find a way… a way that runs you into the ground, you dastard!"

"Really, do you think you can outsmart me? When I can fool even that wench, Naga? Cursed dragon— but alas, I'll kill her too, now that I have the power to do so… By the way… Lucina's dead."

A flash of light flooded Robin's eyes. He was standing in a field, white flowers blooming all around. In front of him was none other than Lucina, her blue eyes filled with pain, tears rolling down her face as she clutched her chest. A violent sparking of purple-colored magic arced from her back, and blood rolled over her fingers. Her body shook and appeared weak. It was clear, the voice, wasn't entirely lying— she wasn't dead, but she certainly was dying. A jolt of despair coursed through Robin as he looked upon her broken form.

"Robin… why….? I loved… you… why?" Lucina choked in agony.

Robin looked down at his hands, which arced with purple magic. He looked back at Lucina, who was slumping over, blood running down her body.

"NO! THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING!" Robin tried to cry out, but his face wouldn't respond.

"I… was… so happy… when… you came… back… but…" Her voice trailed off, as she finally hit the ground, closing her eyes, her breathing ceasing, as blood rapidly flowed from the massive hole in her chest.

"YOU—YOU MONSTER!" Robin cried out, the voice responding with a laugh.

"She's only the first. Your kids will understand." The voice responded.

"What? Don't you dare hurt Mark or Morgan!"

"Or what? You're powerless to stop me. But rest easy, pathetic man, I won't kill them. Oh, no, they're useful, and blindly loyal. You should consider yourself lucky. Most kids are pretty rebellious. Mark and Morgan will listen to everything I have to say. Ever last word- they'll listen, they'll obey, just for their precious father. Mark already doesn't really like Lucina. I can't imagine why, but if I tell them she tried to kill me for a second time, they'll understand, Mark especially."

"You…!"

"Anyways, thank you, again, for all the power you've given me. Not even Naga can compare. But it's time I put you back to sleep..!" The voice laughed, and Robin's world returned to black.

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><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>Lunatic+ Difficulty unlocked. Note, the timelines may get a bit strange, if I absolutely need to, I'll AN in an explanation.


	2. Prologue: Another Chance

**Prologue: Another Chance  
><strong>

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><p><em>Mid Morning<br>A field Near Southtown, Ylisse_

"Big Brother! We have to do something…!" a young girl's voice filled Robin's ears, her voice slightly slurred. He struggled to open his eyes. Was what just happened a dream? He couldn't tell, but he knew things were changing.

"What do you propose we do..?" a man's voice asked. Robin recognized that voice, but his mind initially couldn't place it.

"_Who is this? Where am I… who am I? Was that just a dream? There's no way that… I married a Time-traveler. No way that I'm the legendary Fell Dragon, Grima… no way that I murdered the Royal Family of Ylisse… and destroyed the world. I can't believe that. I'm… just a tactician. Why am I a tactician? Where did I study the art of warfare? …Elibe? Why does that sound familiar?" _Robin tried to put his thoughts together. "_Wait, he's Chrom. I know that. We're good friends. …did I marry his daughter? I think I did. Wait… no that's just a dream. I think… but something's not right. Something tells me… that it… was real. That I fought in a series of wars… to prevent the Fell Dragon's return… but everything went wrong. I killed everyone I knew and loved. …But if I did… why did I just hear Chrom's voice? Could it be that I went back in time? But… why would that be possible? Lucina went back in time, but it wasn't like this."_

"I dunno…" the girl responded, but as she did, Robin managed to open his eyes. In front of him were three people- a man with blue hair, and regal clothing and light armor, at his side hung a sword with a rounded hilt— the man who's voice he recognized, Chrom. Another was a girl in a yellow and white dress. Her hair was done up in two messy pigtails. The third was a man standing behind them by a horse: a knight by the looks of him- covered in full, ornate armor.

"I see you're awake now". Chrom said.

"Hey there!" The girl quickly added.

"There are better places to take a nap than the ground you know." Chrom said, reaching out his hand, "Give me your hand." Robin extended his right hand, to accept Chrom's aid in getting to his feet. On the back of his hand was an eerie mark- it stuck out: six eyes and six wings in a slight "v" shaped position.

"You alright?" Chrom asked.

"Y-yes… Thank you, Chrom." Robin replied.

"Ah, then you already know who I am?"

"No, actually, I… it's strange, your name it just came to me…" Robin replied, almost without thinking. _"It's definitely seeming that way… I must have… returned.. to where it all began. Is this… my plan? To rewrite everything? Why am I having so much trouble." _He thought. _"I can't recall anything besides parts of that dream— or is it… my past? Certainly nothing before this point. This isn't of any help. If… I've returned to where it all started, but I can't remember everything… what good does that do? All I know… is that I mustn't let that hellish future come to pass. Lucina will agree. …Lucina. When does she show up again?" _

"…Hm… how curious. Tell me, what's your name? What brings you here?" Chrom asked.

"My name is… it's…" Robin quickly found himself lost in a particular memory.

_"Hmm…" he muttered. _

_"…You don't even know your own name?" Chrom asked, surprised at Robin._

_"Hey, I've heard of this! It's called amnesia!" the girl, Chrom's sister, said, almost excited to know Robin's condition. _

_The knight shook his head and spoke up, "It's called a load of Pegasus dung." He turned a stern look on Robin, "We're to believe you remember milord's name, but not your own?" The knight waved his hand, and Chrom promptly turned to speak to the knight. _

_"But- It's the truth." Robin stammered out, looking at the knight's stern face._

_"What if it IS true, Frederick?" Chrom said, "We can't just leave him here alone and confused. What kind of Shepherds would we be then?" _

_"Chrom took me in because I was collapsed and without memory. But I clearly can remember this happening before. But that may just have been a dream." _

"Your name, stranger?" Frederick said.

"It's… it's.." Robin said, as Frederick's words snapped him out of his thought, and quickly found his dream like memory repeating itself. Chrom and the others gave swift orders to have him examined at the town. It certainly appeared as though he had been through this once before, however he still couldn't grasp whether or not he was reliving events, or if it was all a crazy dream. What mattered to him, though was that he now was traveling with the Shepherds, and one way or the other, he'd find himself caught up in the thick of things.

"My name's Robin." Robin said, which got some quick puzzled looks out of the others. "…I just remembered that. How odd." Robin tilted his head to the side, and smiled. "I suppose that's one mystery solved." _"That's right, I'm Robin, a tactician… my birthday is January First. Or at least it was in my dream. I can't remember what it actually is. I think it was Lucina who decided to celebrate my birthday on that date. First of the year. I think Lissa and Sumia tried to pressure us into celebrating- she wound up joining us after getting hurt, I think. …it was before Valm. Before that horrible war…War. There's two of them coming before the Fell Dragon— before Validar. Validar… I can't remember, but I do know I hate him."_

"Robin? Is that foreign? ...Ah, well. We can discuss it later. We're almost to town." Chrom said as the group kept walking— they had come quite a ways, and were almost atop the hill. "Once we—"

Chrom was interrupted by Lissa's shrieking.

"CHROM! LOOK! THE TOWN!" She screamed pointing forward over the top of the hill. Robin and the others ran to the crest of the hill and looked into the town. Buildings burned as smoke climbed high into the sky. Robin couldn't make out much, but from what he could see, the town was centered around a market that sat on a river that poured out into the ocean near the town.

"Damn it! The town is ablaze! Those blasted brigands, no doubt... Frederick, Lissa! Quickly!" Chrom exclaimed, placing his hand on his sword.

"What about him?" Frederick asked, throwing a glare at Robin.

"Unless he's on fire as well, it can wait!" Chrom responded, anger filling his voice.

"Aptly put, milord." Frederick responded, untying a covered, ornate, bladed lance from his armored steed.

"Let's go already!" Lissa cried, at the other two 'Shepherds'.

The trio darted off, leaving Robin behind. "But what about… hmm..." Robin shook his head when he noticed the tome attached to his coat. Sure, it may have been a simple book, but he recognized immediately that it was more- no, it wasn't a simple book, and it was a weapon- magically charged ink wrought from blood wrote repeating patterns on its pages. Robin looked at the tome and remembered exactly what it was and how to use it. "_Tonitrua…" _ He muttered, yes that was it- he could feel the energy of the spell build up in his hands. He wasn't exactly helpless. He also noted he wore a blade, a simple, rusted sword made of Bronze.

He ran into the town, smoke filled his lungs, which made him cough, but he was driven. He managed to plan his way thru the town, even though he was not familiar with the location. He then heard a woman scream, followed by a man yelling something he couldn't exactly understand. He then heard another woman cry out- an agonizing cry. He didn't want to think what happened to her- he just knew he had to stop these villains.

"Chrom! We have to stop them!" Robin heard Lissa from ahead- he had caught up to the Shepherds.

"Don't worry—after today, these bandits won't be bothering anyone ever again..." Chrom replied to Lissa, the sternness of his voice made it clear, he was ready to kill.

"Wait!" Robin called out- the last thing he wanted was Chrom to confuse him for the enemy.

"Robin!? You followed us?! Why?" Chrom asked.

"I'm not sure myself… But I am armed, and I know my way around a fight, if you'll have me." Robin said.

"Of course, strength in numbers. Just stay close!" Chrom commanded.

"I will," Robin replied. "Now let's clear out these brigands."

"Remember, Robin, we face practiced thieves and murderers. They will grant us no quarter. It's kill or be killed." Frederick said, keeping his horse under control, and turn turning to aid Chrom.

"I'll keep that in mind." Robin replied, quickly scanning his view. A sudden surge of dread filled his mind as he overlooked the enemy. For some reason, that he wasn't quite sure of, he was afraid- was it merely the potential of death? _"No… that can't be it." _He quickly thought, before settling on the idea that he's afraid the others would die. "And… Chrom, I'm a tactician by trade."

"You are? …Those clothes make you certainly look the part." Chrom replied. "If you can understand the battle, then feel free to guide us."

"That doesn't seem very wise, Milord." Frederick replied.

"If I do misguide you, I'd be dead as well." Robin answered swiftly.

"True, but—" Frederick said, but was cut off.

"Frederick, we've got bandits incoming." Chrom said, "Robin, if you've got orders, say them. Frederick will realize you're up to something."

Robin closed his eyes and nodded. "Past the forward stall is a swordfighter, a myrmidon— Frederick, that's a Silver Lance, correct?" He said.

"Yes." Frederick grunted.

"Take him down." Robin said, "Lissa, you're with me, Chrom, take point and be ready, we've got incoming."

"Sounds a bit risky." Chrom replied. "But… you haven't given any reasons to not trust you on this."

Robin smiled and nodded. _"Just let this work. Gods, why am I so tense…?" _

Frederick nodded in compliance and charged at the enemy myrmidon, who promptly caught sight of Frederick's charge, and attacked well before Frederick could strike. Frederick, however, merely blocked the enemy's strike with his shield, and countered, slamming his lance into the chest of the myrmidon, impaling his foe to the ground. The myrmidon let out a swift, agonized yelp of pain as his blood flew thru the air, following the path of Frederick's lance. "Alas for you." Fred said, almost emotionless.

Robin let out a swift sigh of relief but he was quickly pulled back into the fight as he saw another myrmidon running straight towards Chrom. "Stay Calm…" Robin said, unsure if he was talking to Chrom or himself at that point. The myrmidon made the first move. He turned his blade sideways and glared at Chrom, before charging. As Robin watched the enemy make his move, his eyes widened. _"I've seen that move before… where though..? Who fought like that? Gods… why do I have such clear images in my head that just aren't useful…? A name..? Inigo— did he use it? …That was it..! I know that move— it's used to penetrate defenses. Wait… this isn't right. There's no way simple bandits should be able to master it! That took countless hours of training to perform! These have to be trained soldiers, and elites at that." _

Right then, Robin's train of thought broke as he heard Chrom groan in pain, the sound instantly making him regain his focus, watching the enemy ever carefully. Chrom and the myrmidon clashed blades, but eventually Chrom managed to overpower his foe, slamming Falchion into the bandit's chest. As Chrom withdrew his bloodied weapon, Robin saw his opportunity. "My turn!" Robin yelled taking his sword, and thrusting it into the Myrmidon, leaving their foe grasping for breath, as blood flowed from the wounds inflicted. "FREDERICK! We need support here! Chrom is in danger!" Robin yelled, calling to the knight, who promptly turned, pulling his lance from the body of one of the bandits. Frederick swiftly rode towards them, and he and Chrom simultaneous struck down the wounded Myrmidon once and for all. "Break formation… we can't have everyone on us at once or we're all dead…" Robin said, eying the bandits, "Enemy mage incoming… and both of those axe-wielding barbarians are still alive… wounded, but alive… this is relentless!" he said, his eyes meeting Chrom's and then looking over at Frederick. _"Come on… I must have dealt with worse, unless that was just a dream. How do I handle this?... I guess I take point against those guys. Chrom is wounded, and I have a sword as well as magic, as long as I can kill one before the other gets too close…" _He quickly thought, assessing the situation. "Chrom, Frederick, stay together, I'm taking point.

"But can you fight while protecting Lissa?" Chrom asked.

"My objective is take down one of the wounded bandits before he can really do anything. If anyone gets hurt, it's me. The other… well.." Robin flashed a smile and pointed at his tome.

"Wait, magic? Can you control it?" Chrom asked.

"Yes, I'm certain." Robin said.

"And what of their mage?" Frederick asked.

"You kill him… before he can cast." Robin said, preparing himself. "Just keep Chrom safe, and out of danger."

"Well, that's one plan." Frederick responded.

"_I can do this…_" Robin thought as he saw the barbarian he'd play the bait for running at him. "_I shouldn't die so easily. I can take a hit… I think."_

"You can do it!" Lissa said, reassuringly, and Robin swallowed staring at the enemy running his way. The barbarian quickly flipped his axe to the side and started a swift, rotational motion, swinging the weapon recklessly. Robin rolled, and with a swing of his sword, stopped the barbarian's attack. He swiftly shifted the defensive strike into an offensive counterattack, swinging his weapon towards the barbarian's head. Lissa cringed as she watched Robin decapitate their foe, but let out a sigh of relief as she realized that his plan worked.

"That's it.." Robin said, quickly shifting his attention to the others, and the remaining Barbarian. Frederick had already dealt with the mage, leaving only Robin's remaining target alive. "_Tonitura!"_ Robin shouted, releasing a blast of lightning from his right hand. It slammed into the barbarian who was making a beeline for Chrom. The barbarian screamed in agony, before collapsing to the ground. "Is everyone… alright?"

"Well… I'm alive." Chrom said, "but, alright may not be the right word." He cringed, wiping blood from his chest.

"Lissa, take care of them while I asses the remaining enemies." Robin responded.

"Right." Lissa said, before running to Chrom's side.

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><p>"…I've got to be careful to avoid that one..." an Orange haired man said, slipping a sucker into his mouth as he stared over at the Shepherds. "I'm not with these guys- and I don't feel like having my life cut short… but those cinnamon rolls were just too…"<p>

"Hey! That thief! He's not one of ours!" One of the bandits by the group's leader shouted. "What should we do, Garrick?"

"Kill him. I'll take care of the Shepherds." The bandit's leader responded, holding up his curved, red hand axe.

The orange haired thief shifted his eyes towards the bandits. "Well, I've overstayed my welcome. Time to make a sweet escape..!" He said, making a run from his current position. "Wait… damn! My candies!" the thief noted he had dropped a bag from his coat. "My life or my sweets… what a choice?" He muttered as he ran. "Guess I'll have to do without those ones!"

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><p>Robin narrowed his eyes. A couple of the bandits were chasing someone away from the bridge, but he couldn't make them out. What worried him was the large amount of them— not counting the two following the swiftly moving man, there were at least six, and one of them was definitely a mage.<p>

"Robin..? What's your plan? Do you have one?" Chrom asked.

Robin let out a sigh, and stared back at the bridge. "Can you swim?" He asked.

"Yes but…" Chrom responded.

"Then I've got one— judging by the look of them, most of these guys can't. Just need a proper distraction, and a proper division in our approach. Get their attention, and then I'll kill them from the canal. It's going to take some precise timing… but if I can take out that mage, my magic can wipe out the rest of them— even if they can swim, they won't be able to fight… I can."

"How do you suppose we do this?"

"On the far side of the bridge is a dock. Lure some of them that way. I'll get the attention of the mage as soon as you've done so. Don't try to fight too many of them— they're not just bandits. I'm half certain these are... better trained." Robin stated.

"…Well that confirms my suspicion." Chrom replied, rubbing his hand on his chest, right where he had gotten struck earlier.

"What suspicion?" Robin asked.

"That these are Plegians." Chrom responded, getting a quick look from Robin.

"Plegia..?" Robin said. "_I should know this… the term's so familiar, why can't I place it?"_

"Plegia is Ylisse's westerly neighbor. They send small bands into our territory, hoping to instigate a war." Chrom said, shaking his head.

"…so this is less of a bandit attack, and more of an invasion." Robin responded. "_That was it. Plegia… the enemy. They're the ones that start driving the world into ruin!"_

"An invasion we can't prove is an actual invasion." Chrom groaned. "They're good at covering their tracks."

"That certainly is an issue." Robin replied. "But, we've got to act."

"Right." Chrom nodded in compliance.

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><p>Robin cringed as he hit the water. It was cold, very cold. But it was much preferable to the idea of dying on the bridge. A frontal approach would merely get him and the others killed. However, his entrance did catch the attention of the enemy— precisely the one he wanted to.<p>

"Robin.. I can't use my staff like this…!" Lissa complained. "So… don't get too hurt!"

"I don't plan on it… but you do have Vulneraries, correct?" Robin asked.

"Uh… yeah." Lissa said, wading in the water, and handing a satchel filled with vials of magic-based medicine over to Robin, who's eyes were already facing those of a mage.

"_Fulmine!_" The mage shouted as a blast of lightning magic shot Robin's way. Robin yelped in pain momentarily as it struck, but quickly responded with a spell of his own.

"_Elthunder?! …That's not good. That's not good at all!" _Robin thought as he prepared another spell, hurling a ball of lightning at the mage. _"If I don't end this quick, I'm gonna end up fried… then we're all dead. And if I don't do anything to change what's going to happen… so is every living being on this world!" _He snapped his eyes shut, bracing himself for the enemy's attack, which blew him back. As pain coursed through his body, Robin suddenly decided that the water was actually rather soothing, keeping the scorching pain from the enemy's Elthunder blasts to a minimum, but after drinking his second vulnerary, he knew he had to end it. "_As long as he doesn't see this coming…" _Robin thought as he glared up at the mage from underwater, and swam forward, drawing his sword as he approached.

Catching his grip on the edge of the canal, he managed to move himself into position to grab hold of the mage, who responded by trying to kick him off. This however, left his foe open to his plan of attack- he quickly brought his sword up, and impaled the mage through the chest, both tumbling backwards. A swift trade of blows ended with Robin bashing the mage's head against the stone of the canal- the sword in the Mage's chest giving him the upper hand as the mage struggled. Robin quickly turned himself, using the sword as a vantage point, he managed to get himself in a defensible position- pinning his foe underwater. Robin turned away from his foe's face, but maintained a harsh scowl on his face as the mage thrashed, but it wasn't long before the man's motions ceased- the most important threat to his plan dead.

Robin withdrew his sword and wiped his brow. "Lissa… you still can't use your staff, can you?"

"No… sorry, Robin." Lissa responded.

"…Well, I'll just have to fight like this… good thing they won't be able to get close." Robin said with a slight smirk as he stared at the group of foes on the bridge, arcs of energy forming in his right hand.

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><p>Chrom caught his foe's axe in a swift clash, iron grinding against the sacred steel of Falchion. He had practiced this move many times against Vaike— the very reason why swords have an advantage over axes, but something wasn't going right. Perhaps it was merely his foe's strength or a lapse in his concentration, but Chrom failed to fully stop his foe. A swift turn of the axe lead to a direct hit into Chrom's midsection. He grunted in pain, before using the opening granted to stab his foe. Blood flowed from both of their wounds as they pulled away, Chrom bracing himself for another trade of blows.<p>

The barbarian squinted his eyes and glanced at Chrom and Frederick. He flicked his axe, almost to signal a continuation of the fight, but without even a word, he turned and ran from the fight- running away from the Shepherd Captain and towards the bridge.

"Blasted Coward!" Chrom called out, but his foe continued the retreat. But then he took a couple steps back putting himself back into the canal. He hissed in pain as the water came in contact with his wound, but the spike of pain didn't last long enough for him to remain agonized. His eyes turned towards the bridge. "Well, at least it seems Robin's plan is working."

"Milord, are you sure we should trust such a risky plan?" Frederick asked. "What if this is a plan to get Lissa murdered?"

"Robin will die with her." Chrom replied. "Unless he doesn't care what-so-ever for self preservation, I don't think that's the case."

"I'm afraid you're a bit too trusting, Milord" Frederick responded.

"That's just the man I am." Chrom answered with a nod. "Besides, something tells me I can trust him."

"What of your head? Do you heed its council?"

"I do, Frederick." Chrom replied watching the corpse of one of the bandits fall into the canal. "Robin is proving himself both a surprisingly sound tactician and fighter. Would you have us lose him?"

"I would have us not lose our Captain or his sister." Frederick said in return.

"I understand, but I still have reason to trust him." Chrom said, clutching at his chest where the axe had struck. As he looked back, he watched an enemy myrmidon fall head first into the canal. He leveled his vision and caught sight of Robin making his way to the edge and starting to climb out. "And I do believe this plan succeed." His eyes panned upwards.

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><p>Robin let out a sigh of relief as he, Lissa, Chrom and Frederick met back up. The magic of Lissa's staff came as a powerful relief, the burns from the mage's spells healed swiftly. "Thank the gods that's over…" Robin groaned.<p>

"... That plan of yours… it worked surprisingly well." Chrom said, "Now let's take out their leader and be done with it!"

"Right!" Robin replied, as the group moved up to the bridge. There weren't any brigands on the bridge any longer- they had all been killed one way or the other, or were involved with the commotion earlier. Robin noted that someone had left a bag of sweets on the ground, and given there were also a few pieces of gold with them, he figured it was probably dropped by the man who the brigands were chasing, and decided to hang on to it. Considering his unvoiced opinion of the man was that he was probably a thief, taking advantage of the situation to rob the townsfolk blind; that may be for the best, he thought. In addition, though the bag was mostly candies, it still might prove useful if they bump into the man again. Or at the very least, it was something to eat.

"So… it's the damnable Shepherds." The brigand's leader said, staring at Chrom and Robin. "Here sheepy, sheepy..! Come to the Slaughter!" He taunted.

"Stay back Chrom… this is a trap." Robin said, "Make him attack us— I'll counter with magic, then when he's weak, we'll take him out before he can spring whatever trap he has in store."

"Well, you haven't gone wrong yet." Chrom replied. "Just be ready— he's coming..!"

Garrick threw one of his throwing axes at Robin who managed to dodge out of the way, his thunder spell already charged, and ready to be released- and release it he did, although the accuracy was off- the blast of magic exploded harmlessly on the steps of a great cathedral behind Garrick. Garrick quickly responded, throwing another axe, after leaping upwards, which smashed into Robin's chest, but not before Robin threw another blast of magic, which Garrick appeared to shrug off.

"Lissa!" Chrom shouted, "Can you still use your staff?"

"I'm not that bad off Chrom!" Lissa replied, holding out her staff.

"Good. Take care of Robin." Chrom commanded, noting Garrick fumbling around. Surely, he was getting another axe, and that meant they had to act quickly. Lissa's staff works fast, but if Robin dies from repeated wounds, it meant nothing.

"I'm fine, Chrom… Thanks, Lissa." Robin gritted his teeth as he saw Garrick brandish another axe, "Lissa… Move!" Robin said, as Garrick threw his axe, which flew past Robin, narrowly missing everyone. "You dastard..! _Tonitrua!_" Robin threw another bolt of magic at Garrick, which hit him in the face, and sent the barbarian to the ground. He and Chrom both quickly ran towards Garrick, and simultaneously stabbed the Bandit's leader.

"Bwaaargh!" Garrick's death came swift, as both Chrom and Robin pulled their swords from Garrick's chest, and swung them swiftly to get the blood off their blades.

"That's the end of him." Chrom said, "Thank you, Robin."

Robin took in a deep breath. It was over, at least as far as he could tell— it seemed the other bandits had chased the thief- and the three of them had fled into the countryside. Of course, the process of rebuilding lies in front of the townsfolk. "Well, that's the end of that." He said.

"Luckily for the town, we were close by." Lissa said, with the sound of relief in her voice. "But holy wow, Robin! You were incredible. Swords, sorcery, AND tactics? Is there anything you can't do?"

"You're certainly no helpless victim, that much is for sure." Chrom added.

"Indeed. Perhaps you might even be capable of an explanation for how you came here?" Frederick quickly reiterated his suspicions of Robin.

Robin shook his head, "I understand your skepticism, Sir Frederick. And I cannot explain why only some knowledge has returned to me. But please, believe me. I have shared all that I know." He said firmly.

"You fought to save Ylissean lives. My heart says that's enough." Chrom said, placing his hand on Robin's shoulder. "And Frederick, I spoke to you during the course of the battle."

"I understand, sir. But I must advise caution." Frederick said. "However, his actions were commendable, and I admit, I was impressed with the way he handled himself in that fight."

"Thank you, Frederick." Robin said. _"Well, at least he won't be so hostile for long... I think."_

"His tactics may have been what secured our lives in this fight. We were down from our usual number by a fair deal." Chrom replied. "So, with that in mind, Robin, would you join us?"

"I'd be honored." Robin replied, _"…Well… hopefully what's to come won't be as maddening as that fight. What hell was going on? Were they really elite soldiers? Why do I have a terrible feeling…"_ Robin thought as he shook Chrom's hand. _"…Blast it. I can't remember anything about what— wait. Tonight we encounter Risen! Gods… if there's a way to avoid that…" _

A man, an innkeeper by the looks of him, ran up to the group, he had a smile on his face, although Robin could tell, moments ago, he was terrified. "Milord, please! You must stay the night! We are simple folk of simple means, but we would gladly toast your valor with a feast!" He said, directing his offer to Chrom.

"Chr—" Robin started to say, but was cut off by Frederick, who spoke on Chrom's behalf.

"A most generous offer, sir, and no doubt your hospitality would be grand... But I'm afraid we must hurry back to Ylisstol." Frederick smiled as he spoke.

"Dark meat only for me, medium well, and no salt in the soup. I simply— " Lissa had started to speak before Frederick, but was cut off. "Wait, what?! We're not staying?! But, Frederick, it's nearly dark! Chrom!"

"I—" Robin started to speak but his mind flashed into what he couldn't tell between a memory and a vision. He winced as he thought it. "_Wait… if we're not there, then Lucina has to take all of those Risen by herself. Can she do that?_" He kicked a few thoughts around. _"Perhaps but, that poses a risk of failure… we need to be there. She's fully capable of fighting, but against that many? If she dies, then we're all dead… this can't change, since the other outcome could very well be worse!"_

"Yes, Robin?" Chrom asked.

Robin swallowed before speaking, "I agree with Frederick."

Fredrick grinned. Lissa groaned. "Well, when night falls, we'll camp. Eat off the land, make our bed of twigs and the like... I believe you mentioned you would be "getting used to this"?" Frederick said, turning to Lissa.

"Frederick? Sometimes I hate you." Lissa exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air. "And Robin… that was mean!"

Robin laughed at the sight, "You've quite the stern lieutenant there." He commented.

"Yeah, well, "stern" is one name for it. I can think of a few others!" Lissa responded, her face red with irritation.

"Frederick only smiles when he's about to bring down the axe." Chrom added.

"Duly noted." Robin said with a slight chuckle.

"You do realize I AM still present?" Frederick coughed, his face returning to his normal serious look.

"Oh, we realize." Chrom said, rolling his eyes at the knight.

Robin smiled and laughed.

"Milord remains as amusing as ever. Now then, shall we be going?" Frederick said, shaking his head, clearly not amused by Chrom's gesture.

"All right, all right. Ready to go, Robin? The capital isn't far." Chrom sighed and returned to a more serious tone.

"As I can be, Chrom." Robin responded. _"Gods, I hope the Risen aren't as brutal as those bandits were…"_

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>Well... outside the fact that Robin's in for a wicked surprise (Because Lunatic+), yes, he has clearer memories in this, but how well they serve him? Who knows. And yes, Water Trick happened. For those that did read Howl to the Future, yes, you'll note that the Future Interlude is gone, but I'm rearranging those, partially because Parings in this no longer = headcanon pairs since I don't like the majority of those- I'm actually so powerbiased I prefer the minmax ones [they've got good supports, so whatever].


	3. Chapter 1: Creeping Anxiety

Chapter 1: Creeping Anxiety

* * *

><p><em>Late Evening<br>Forest west of Ylisstol_

"I told you—it's getting dark already!" Lissa complained as the Shepherds came to a stop in the forest. A bunch of buzzing bugs fluttered around them as they set to clearing a campsite, which quickly became an issue for Lissa. "...Ech! And now the bugs are out! Noisy, disgusting bugs that buzz around and crawl all over and bite you when— Agh! Won goph in mah mouph!" She complained but one of the black bugs flew into her mouth, and she frantically started to try to spit it out.

"Aw, come on now, Lissa. Hardship builds character." Chrom said, looking at his sister. "Want to help me gather firewood?"

Lissa continued to spit on the ground, hoping to get the bug out of her mouth, and be rid of the disgusting taste it brought with it. "Yeeeeeuck! ...I think I swallowed it..." she quickly turned and snatched the canteen from Chrom and guzzled a bit of water, realizing the situation with the bug in her mouth was hopeless. "I'll pass on finding firewood, thanks. I think I've built QUITE enough character for one day!"

Chrom promptly chuckled at the sight of Lissa's antics.

"We should probably think about food. I don't know about you, but I'm starving." Robin pointed out as he heard his stomach rumble.

"Yes, I should think a little hunting and gathering is in order. Now, who wants to clear a campsite?" Frederick asked. "I get to start our campfire of course…"

"Frederick, you and fire..!" Lissa said, raising her hands in the air, prompting a swift laugh from Chrom and Robin.

"I'll take Robin and go for a bit of a hunt." Chrom said, as he stood up.

"Are you sure you want him to go with you?" Lissa asked, "His growling stomach will scare away anythi—"

"Lissa… don't move." Robin said, interrupting her. "Don't talk. Don't move. Don't do anything."

Lissa promptly shut her mouth and swallowed. She could hear loud growling from behind her, as she saw Chrom and Robin both draw their weapons.

"Guess dinner just found us." Chrom said.

"Well… I guess that's something to eat." Robin replied. "I'll move first- you follow up, and hit it from its side— Frederick doesn't have his lance right now, so we'll only get this one shot…"

"Gotcha." Chrom replied, tightening his grip on Falchion. "Ready?"

"Now!" Robin said, "_Tonitrua!_" He loosed a blast of lightning that flew past Lissa's head, followed by Chrom swiftly moving in and stabbing the creature that was behind her.

"Well… that went well." Chrom said. "Lissa, it's safe to move now."

She let a long drawn out sigh as she turned around. "A BEAR!?" She exclaimed.

Robin sighed as he turned to help Frederick clear the campsite so they could get to cooking- he didn't really care, sure bear wasn't his _first_ choice for a good meal, but he was starving. He wasn't exactly sure how long he had gone without food, but he knew at the very least it was a couple days.

* * *

><p>"Mmm... It's been too long since I last had bear meat. Delicious! ...What's wrong, Lissa? Dig in." Chrom said, taking a bite out of the hunk of meat he had pulled aside, as the group sat by a crackling fire.<p>

"Pass! ...Gods, couldn't you spear us an animal normal people eat for once? I mean, come on! Who eats bear?! You're meddling with the food chain!" Lissa complained as she ignored her food. "Right, Robin? ...Uh, Robin?" She threw a glance over at the white haired man. He was contently stuffing his face with fire-roasted meat. "I suppose a person would enjoy just about anything after not eating for days..." she sighed.

"Just eat it, Lissa. Meat is meat." Chrom said, before taking another bite out of his hunk of bear meat.

"Since when does meat smell like old boots?! Wait, I take that back—boots smell better!" Lissa exclaimed.

"Every experience makes us stronger, milady. Even those we don't enjoy." Frederick said, smiling.

"Really? Then why don't I see YOU eating, Frederick?" Lissa continued to whine.

"Me? Oh, well... I'm not hungry. I...I had a large lunch! Yes, quite." Frederick responded, his voice trailing off towards the end.

"Yeah right, Frederick!" Lissa exclaimed, calling Frederick's bluff, as she watched Robin snatch another piece of meat and stuff it into his mouth. "Blech."

Robin let a drawn out sigh as he sat, looking at the sky. Night had long since fallen, and a sense of worry filled his mind. _"…Lucina."_ He shook his head, after a vivid image of the woman he felt destined to meet filled his mind.

"Is something amiss, Robin?" Frederick asked.

"No." Robin shook his head in reply. _"Something will be though. That is, if I'm not hallucinating. If I've really gone back to where it all began… She'll arrive after a great earthquake. If I remember how Laurent explained that— it was the Letche Effect, as he called it. Can't remember why though… but the magic that tore open the path between the world of the future and the world of the past is terribly destructive. However, it's not her that's a problem, it's the Risen."_

"Then it would be wise for you to get some sleep. It's going to be a fairly long march to Ylisstol." Frederick said.

"That is true." Robin replied, laying down and rolling himself over. He buried his face in his cloak, hoping to catch some shut eye- his muscles ached from the previous day, and his body was still pretty bruised, despite the treatment he received from Lissa's staff. But he knew sleep wouldn't come easily, or so he thought. His mind, despite being quite restless was not enough to overcome his body and he soon drifted off to sleep.

* * *

><p><em>South of Port Ferox<em>

"Damn it all!" a woman groaned. She clutched at her chest, limply trying to pull an arrow from out beneath her left breast. Blood flowed over her hands dropping to the ground below. She soon lost her footing and fell from the side of her black pegasus, crashing into the trees below.

"CAPTAIN TAIBASSI!" a black armored man atop an armored wyvern cried out, before turning his mount towards Robin who looked up at him. He fastened his grip upon a Brave axe as he dove, picking up speed.

Energy built up in Robin's hands, "_Antiqui sancti alas pandere rogo te gloria tua!" _Robin chanted, his eyes set on the diving man. _"CORUM!"_ Robin shouted, finishing the spell. A blast of air, charged magically emitting a pink aura surrounded the man, ripping the armor from the wyvern and slamming it into him. Another wave of Robin's hand emitted another blast, and seizing the chance, a silver-blue haired archer fired an arrow at the Wyvern rider.

The black armored man loosed a pained scream, as did the wyvern. A blast of fire from the wyvern's mouth scorched the ground as the pained beast, it wings torn asunder by the force of Robin's magic, plummeted. It slammed into the ground, the man unseated, and summarily crushed into the burning earth.

Robin let out a sigh as he looked back downward. Two dead foes- and the last of the bandits, or so he hoped.

He turned swiftly and gave a nod to Frederick and Chrom who stood beside Lon'qu, Sumia, and Ricken.

"They were heavily armed for common bandits." Robin said.

"These were no ordinary bandits." Lon'qu said.

"What?" Robin asked.

"They were the Zhar slavers- a group of heavily armed dissidents lead by a former Champion of the East." Lon'qu said.

"One of Flavia's Champions?" Chrom asked. "I can't see why she'd have a slaver fight for her."

"Basilio can fill you in on the details, but Taibassi was a fighter nearly unparalleled until a dispute between her and Flavia occurred. Both of the Khans wanted her dead since then."

"Captain! I found the bandit's cargo..!" Sully called from the rear.

"Slaves?" Chrom asked.

"It appears that way." Sully responded. "But there's one of them…"

* * *

><p>"Marth!?" Robin exclaimed as he stared into the cage. Sure enough, behind the burlap-covered bars sat the woman who took the name Marth, her clothing tattered and her arms and legs bound.<p>

"Robin..?" She asked looking back at him.

"I'm not going to ask how you got captured." Robin shook his head and stared at the lock. "_Fauillae!" _ He said, striking the lock with a blast of fire magic, before shattering it with a deft blow from the pommel of his sword. "I'm just going to get you out of here and make a simple request."

"What?" She asked looking back, her eyes meeting Robin's as he swung open the door to the cage.

"Join us." Robin said. "I know you're a capable woman, and you've saved mine and Chrom's life as well as Lissa's and… extended Emm's life if only for a bit. But there's no reason you've ever given to why you keep yourself so distant, else things like this happen."

She sighed as she squirmed her way out of the cage, and found herself falling into Robin's arms. "Very well… I'll consider it, but please get my bindings off… they're very uncomfortable."

Robin cracked as soft smile, setting her down into the snow before using his sword to cut the bindings from her ankles and wrists, and was met with a hug as she stood. "Thank you, Robin. But perhaps, if I am to join you, I need to speak to my fa- Chrom first." She tilted her head and wiped a few tears from her eyes and then pressed herself into Robin's chest for a moment before turning away from him.

* * *

><p><em>Towards Midnight- Forest Near Ylisstol <em>

Robin woke up as the earth trembled. There was a tremendous roar as he stood up and tried to get his bearings. "_Well, this absolutely confirms it… everything has indeed started over. It begins… she's here. But so are those Risen. I hope they're not as strangely strong as those bandits were." _ He scanned his eyes, catching note of the glow from the flames, and the evident tracks that Chrom and Lissa had wandered off. A bright flash filled the sky, as a glowing eyeball-like object appeared in the sky. He tensed himself as he saw the first of the Risen fall before turning to Frederick, who was readying his warhorse. "Frederick! They went that direction..!" Robin said, motioning for Frederick follow.

"Very well, Robin." Frederick said, swiftly lifting Robin up onto his horse. "We don't have time…"

"You're right about that." Robin kept his eyes on the object, and then he spotted someone leap from it. _"There she is. Right on cue."_

His eyes shifted back to the ground, "Frederick to the left—!"

"Right—!" Frederick said, and they rode swiftly through the trees, and found Chrom and Lissa backing up, as what appeared to be humans, but their bodies were clearly rotted, and they had eerie masks on their faces, but perhaps one of their most striking features was their glowing red eyes. "Milord! Milady! Are you hurt?" He called out as Robin leapt off his horse.

"Frederick! Robin!" Lissa exclaimed, absolutely terrified, her pupils set narrow in her eyes, and skin was pale.

"No one is injured, then? Thank the gods..." Frederick said a slight hint of relief in his voice.

"Thank the masked man who saved me! If it wasn't for him, I'd be... Hey, where did he go?" Lissa said, shaking her head and quickly looking for the man who had saved her.

"We can worry about him later, AFTER we put these...things...to the blade. Eyes open, now. We know nothing about this enemy." Frederick said, readying himself for battle.

"Right." Chrom and Robin both nodded, readying their weapons.

Robin looked around, keeping an eye out for the undead fighters, but he also made quick note of a couple seemingly abandoned structures that jutted up over the tree line. "Hmm? Are those..."

"Abandoned forts, yes." Frederick responded.

Fort wasn't the exact word he'd use for it, Robin thought, but he knew that those towers may become important- and quickly- his initial assessment was something of a grim outlook- there were plenty of those undead creatures. _ "Why can't I remember how to handle this engagement. Wait.." _He took in a deep breath as his eyes scanned each opponent. "_Think. These are just basic Risen, weak remnants of the army that overwhelmed Lucina in her time, and beat her to the portal as they abandoned that world to die. But… no chances. Not after the bandits fought fierce as the finest soldiers I've ever fought with._" It didn't take him long to come up with a plan in his head, turning towards Chrom.

"Robin… what do you suggest we do about this?" Chrom asked.

"Chrom, you take Lissa and break southward. Not too far though, stay north of that clump of the clump of tress that bear came out of. Frederick and I will draw the enemy our way and use the Fort as cover. Once we've cleared out a few with his lance and my magic, we meet up and wipe the last of them out." Robin responded. "We don't know what this enemy is capable of, so we can't take chances."

"So your plan that takes no chances is to divide our forces?" Frederick asked cautiously.

"If you want to keep Chrom and Lissa safe, it is." Robin said. "You're the strongest fighter in the group, and I'm the only one with any magic— we serve as a distraction to keep Chrom and Lissa safe."

"A distraction?" Frederick said, his voice surprised.

"In the simplest term, yes." Robin replied. "Do not worry, I don't plan on dying, or allowing anyone else to die for that matter. But the idea is to draw the enemy to facing our most capable in favorable terrain."

"Very well." Frederick responded, as he and Robin rode towards the tower following a confirmative nod from Chrom.

"Don't die." Chrom said to them as they started to ride, "and that IS an order."

"Acknowledged, Chrom!" Robin called back.

It didn't take long for Robin and Frederick to arrive at the fort, and almost immediately they found that multiple Risen were heading their way. "Ready?" Robin asked, as he drew his sword, standing in a defensible position.

"A knight is always ready to serve his liege." Frederick responded.

"First one is here." Robin said, swallowing hard. _"It's a mercenary... Gods I hope.."_ He thought as he watched his foe. The enemy snapped its arm back, and Robin's eyes went wide, _"No… it can't be!" _ The Risen charged forward- it was indeed that self-same move.

"Not while I draw breath!" Frederick said, charging forward and knocking the enemy back, preventing it from striking.

"It… can't be… how can they be so strong..?" Robin muttered. He continued his blank stare into the Risen for a moment until Frederick called out.

"Robin! Chrom gave us an order to survive. Unless you mean to disobey that order, fight!" He stated, as his horse kicked the Risen back.

"Right." Robin responded thrusting his sword into his foe's chest. He tore it out sideways, severing the Risen's left arm, and creating an opening for Frederick to attack in kind, finishing the creature off- it bursting into purple smoke as its body was torn apart.

Robin swallowed hard as he looked out of the gate from the broken tower, almost every risen in the area was headed his way. _"I can't die like this…"_ he thought, _"not before… not before I had a chance to change things..!"_

* * *

><p>"Chrom…!" Lissa exclaimed as a Risen moved through the trees, ever closer.<p>

"Stay back, Lissa..!" Chrom said, holding his sword forward, ready to fight.

It charged forward, immediately clashing its sword with Chrom, loosing a guttural growl, black smoke rolling from its mouth. Chrom pressed forward, but was pushed back by the creature's inhuman strength. He breathed heavily, unsure if he'd be able to best this foe.

_"Die with Magnificence!",_ a pampered sounding voice called out from a distance to Chrom's left side. An arrow shot past Chrom's head slamming into the Risen's face, it bursting into smoke as it collapsed.

"An archer!?" Chrom exclaimed looking towards the voice's origin, quickly spotting a man with primped blue hair standing by a scruffy looking red-haired woman. "Sully?! Weren't you headed back to the Shepherd's base camp?" He asked. "And who's this guy?"

"Yes, but you guys were taking too damn long, so I came back- and now it seems there's some ash-faced freaks who need my lance embedded in their arse… and this guy is some buffoon with some crazy disillusions." Sully responded.

"The name is Virion, and I am the man who puts "arch" in "archer"— I'm the one, the only Archest of Archers…" Virion answered.

"Shut up." Sully swiftly said. "Or do you need me to put my boot in your face? Again?"

Chrom sighed at the exchange. "Well, Virion, you may have just saved my life. Thank you." He said, reaching out his hand to shake Virion's, and turning his gaze to the tower. "I hope Frederick and Robin are doing alright."

"Robin?" Sully asked.

"He's our new tactician!" Lissa exclaimed. "And he's super amazing."

"Really?" Sully chuckled. "I doubt that."

"Focus, Shepherds, we've got a battle to deal with." Chrom commanded.

* * *

><p>Robin groaned as he locked his sword with a Risen fighter. He breathed heavily as he took a step back and quickly turned, taking the upper hand, and striking at the creature. His eyes scanned the battlefield once more, he and Frederick were indeed surrounded, and the enemy was relentless. <em>"Did I make a fatal mistake…?! Is this really my fate? To lose everything here..? No. I can't give up.<em>" He thought for a moment as he turned himself. It was then when he felt an odd sensation. It was a flash of pain, but it ended as soon as it began. Robin shook his head, trying to regain his focus when he noticed the arrow on the ground. "_What happened…? Was I struck?"_

"Robin! Enemy archer..!" Frederick shouted, turning his horse, and running down a sword-wielding risen.

"Right..!" Robin said, looking up. The Archer backpedaled, drawing another arrow. "_Tonitura!" _ Robin said, magic rolling down his right arm and forming up in his hand. He fired a blast of lightning at the archer as it released another arrow, which slammed into Robin's shoulder, striking a piece of armor he wore underneath his coat, which stung, but ultimately didn't cause much injury. _"I… have that piece of armor there… that must've been it. He can't penetrate my armor." _ Robin thought, turning and placing his back against Frederick's horse's rear legs. He flung another spell out, which slammed into a risen wildly flinging an axe around, killing it. _"That's it… we can win this battle. Don't you worry, Chrom, I have no intention of dying!" _ His train of thought was quickly broken as a hammer-wielding risen soon charged him.

Robin's next thought was to scream. He felt the hammer slam into his side, he felt bones break, and perhaps the worst of it, he felt blood start flowing. He dropped his tome to the ground, and coughed, hoping to get his breath back before the creature killed him. His world spun- he knew it was do or die, and he reached for his sword. He slammed it into the Risen and weakly called Frederick's name. He fell to the ground momentarily, not watching the knight impale the Risen. The next thing Robin knew, he was propped up and having a vulnerary poured down his throat. "Gods.. that hurt." Robin muttered.

"Unfortunately, it's not over." Frederick said, "there's more fighting to do."

"Right." Robin nodded. His hands were still covered in his blood, but the wound, while painful, was mostly sealed thanks to the magical medicine. "What's left?" He said, looking around. Chrom and the others had looped around to the fort.

"A very large one." Frederick said.

"Looks like some kind of leader…" Chrom said. "…and it certainly looks stronger than the others."

"Feather it, you buffoon!" Sully said towards Virion.

"With pleasure, milady." Virion replied, steadying his bow as the creature climbed up the walls of the tower and brandished a war axe. He quickly put an arrow into its chest, and Sully charged at it, ramming her lance into it.

"Ryaaargh!" It roared, seemingly unfazed by the consecutive strikes.

"The hell?" Sully exclaimed as it threw a piece of steel at Virion.

"Ow..!" Virion fell to the ground as the piece of metal embedded itself into Virion's chest.

"…Lissa! Help him!" Robin commanded.

"Right!" Lissa said, running towards Virion, her staff in hand.

"Thank you, dear Maiden…! May I be graced with your name…!?" Virion said, as he pulled the hunk of metal from his chest, his eyes widening with pain, as Lissa's staff glowed green, healing his wounds.

"I'm Lissa…" She said as she continued to heal Virion.

"What a heavenly name…" he replied.

"LISSA! LOOK OUT!" Sully yelled, as the massive undead thing leapt from the tower and hurled a large rock at Lissa, which bashed her in the head.

"OWW!" She yelled as blood dripped from her forehead. "…this whole day has been way too painful..." she muttered.

"To me, Milady." Frederick said, grabbing Lissa. "I'll keep you safe."

"We have to end this…" Robin said, running towards Chrom, and pulling his sword from its sheath. "Virion! Fire at it! Sully once he's hit it, move in and hit it as hard as you can. Once you've done what you can, Chrom and I will finish this!"

"What a magnificent plan," Virion said, pulling an arrow back and steadying his bow. He fired, hitting the creature in the forehead, which promptly got it to cast its gaze on Virion, and it threw one of the war axes it had at him, but not before Sully rammed her lance into the creature's side. It was a victorious exchange- sure, the creature managed to hit Virion, nearly taking off his leg in the process, but it created the opportunity that Robin was looking for.

"Chrom! Now!" Robin said, as the two ran towards the creature. Chrom leapt through the air, Falchion glowing blue as he did, knocking the thing to the ground and impaling it.

"Nnh...aaagh..." It growled as the red glow disappeared from its eyes, before it burst into smoke.

"That's… it…" Robin said, sheathing his sword.

"Well done." A fairly androgynous voice called out from the side of the fort.

"It seems all the creatures are vanquished." Frederick said, looking at a person who stood behind them. The person wore a regal looking combat garb, and had a blue-and-gold butterfly shaped mask on their face.

Robin knew who it was immediately. He looked at the masked fighter, and a strong sense of familiarity overcame him. He started to speak, but the L that nearly gave away her true name was quickly rolled into a "Look out" as he spotted one last Risen. It charged straight at the group, but thanks to Robin alerting her to it, Lucina was the one who intercepted it.

It roared as it swung a battered, massive hand towards her, slamming it into her chest. She grunted in pain, but quickly swung her left hand back. A flash of magic emanated from the back of the hand as it collided with the creature's skin. The creature staggered backwards, granting her an opening.

_"COUNTER?! Is this not Lucina?!"_ Robin thought, as he watched the fight.

"You will not stop me!" the masked fighter shouted, charging forwards and slashing her sword in a distinctive arc, cleaving the creature in half.

It was over swiftly as it began, with the masked fighter sheathing her blade. "Thank you for your warning, sir." she said, looking at Robin.

"Um, I never got to thank you...for before. So...thank you. You were very brave." Lissa said, almost enamored with who Robin assumed to be Lucina.

"You saved my sister's life. My name is Chrom. Might I ask yours?" Chrom asked, noting events that had occurred before Robin and Frederick's arrival into the battle.

"You may call me Marth." The masked fighter replied.

"Marth? After the heroic king of old? You certainly fight like a hero." Chrom said, noting her skills with a blade. "Where did you learn your way with a sword?"

"I'm not here to talk about me. This world teeters at the brink of a horrible calamity. What you saw tonight was but a prelude. You have been warned." She responded, and quickly turned to leave.

"Huh? What's teetering where now?" Lissa stammered out as Marth walked away. "Hey, wait!" She called out after her.

_"No. It's definitely Lucina. I know that much. But… why could she perform counter?" _Robin thought, but then another surge of pain overcame his body.

"ROBIN!?" Lissa exclaimed, and that was the last thing he heard before his world went black.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's note: <strong>A tad reused from "Howl to the Future", I'll admit [This IS a rewrite of the ficlog project.]. Oh and yes, if you can't tell, Lucina has Counter/Luna+, and that's... gonna be a thing. [Just to clarify, the events with Captain Taibassi are presented as a dream, but they're part of the "second" timeline in this case]. [also one cookie to whoever says what my Celica's Gale chant is]


	4. Chapter 2: Fate

Chapter 2: Fate

* * *

><p>Robin panned his eyes around, shaking his head. "Is something wrong, dear?" Lucina asked, a concerned look on her face as she looked at Robin. He promptly took a double take, and cracked a smile.<p>

"No. Nothing's wrong, Lucina." He said, as his eyes met hers before he flopped himself down onto the grass.

"Good." Lucina said, lowering herself and then sitting on his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck. Robin raised his arms to match, and ultimately wound up holding her waist. "… I can't thank you enough."

"Huh?" Robin said, slightly confused.

"You saved the world. You gave me a future worth believing in. And, together, we have such a wonderful family." Lucina smiled as she spoke. "I'm sorry for the other day…"

Robin shook his head slightly then raised his hand to his cheek.

"You made the right decision. I was wrong to hold it against you… It's just I thought… that I might never see you again." Lucina said, "But today… just being here with you makes up for the weeks of loneliness and pain brought on by your disappearance."

"It didn't bother me. I deserved it." Robin slightly chuckled, but then he was swiftly met with a warm and passionate kiss.

As they broke apart, they both rose to their feet, a strange sensation overcame Robin, causing him to gasp, immediately alerting Lucina.

"Robin..?!" Lucina's eyes widened as she looked at him. "Hey, hold on…! Something's wrong isn't it?!"

His hands shook, and then began to heat, the energy of a powerful spell forming radiated through his body. A flash preceded a cry of anguished pain as the spell blasted through Lucina's chest. Blood followed the arcing purple energy as it emanated away from them.

"R-robin… no.." Lucina choked out.

Robin let out a strange laugh as he watched Lucina stagger backwards. "Be gone… Child of Naga." He said, a vicious smirk across his face.

"Robin..? Why…?" Lucina said, clutching her chest "… why….? I loved… you… why?" She fell back to the ground, her body convulsing. "I… was… so happy… when… you came… back… but… Gods… no… you're… not Robin… you're… Grima…" Her eyes closed as blood pooled around her staining the grass.

* * *

><p>"NO!" Robin screamed, and then he felt a blast of pain run from his forehead down the rest of his body. He winced in agony for a moment, clutching his head. He panned his eyes around the slightly dark room, groaning from the pain of his head hitting whatever was above him. He shook his head, trying to process the information- starting off with where he was. It took him a few moments, adjusting his eyes to the light, before he realized where he was. He was in a lower bunk in the barracks. Across from him was a door, and the flag of Ylisse hung next to it, but ignoring the table to the right, the room was otherwise empty.<p>

"Whoa!" A voice from above called out, followed by something falling from the bed above, landing on the ground beside him. "Oww…!" Robin quickly covered his mouth, trying not to laugh, especially since he quickly realized whoever it was who fell out of the top bunk did so because of him, as he tried to place a name to the voice. "Uhh…" the person groaned, rising to their feet. "So you're… awake?" He asked.

"Yeah." Robin replied. "…wasn't the most pleasant way to wake up though."

"I can imagine." the other male responded. "So you're Robin, the new Tactician?"

"Yes." Robin replied.

"I'm Ricken, one of the mages here." the boy responded. "You're lucky you woke up today, or maybe not. Chrom has the rest of the Shepherds marching to Ferox tomorrow."

"You're not going?" Robin asked. _"Ah. That's right. Ricken used to sleep in the bunk above me. Until the wars got started, then he wound up getting moved all over the place, and during the peace period I was in the castle, he was at his parents… or we were in tents- I started sleeping with Lucina though. One night he wound up sleeping in the same tent as Nowi, and heavens forbid, she burned that tent to the ground. He took the blame for it though. He… joined us on missions after he played the hero when Maribelle got captured at the start of the Plegian conflict. He was one of the better mages, and, if I recall correctly, turned out to be Brady's father." _

"No. I'm going to stay here and study. Maribelle isn't going either- she has to deal with her father. Chrom says we're too young for the mission anyways. But… Lissa's going and she's only fourteen! I'm the same age as her!" Ricken said, clenching his fists before rubbing his side.

"Well, from the sound of it, Chrom likely has his reasons." Robin responded.

"Anyways, what was it like?" Ricken asked.

"What do you mean?" Robin replied.

"The risen? You got to fight those undead things right?" Ricken asked, slightly and strangely enthusiastically.

"…Hell." Robin replied. "The Risen are.. brutal, to say the least."

"Oh." Ricken replied. "Well that explains why you were passed out. Although Emmeryn and Lissa both said you were just tired."

"I thought I was dead, not tired." Robin replied with a groan. "Heck… my chest still hurts."

"Well, you certainly must be special with the way Lissa was talking about you, and the fact that Emmeryn herself came to heal you with her staff." Ricken said. "But… you should watch it with the waking up screaming. Do you always have nightmares?"

"…I'm not sure. I don't really remember anything before the other day." Robin responded. _"Although, it seems all of my dreams are nightmares lately. Either I kill Chrom, or I kill Lucina. Either way, I kill those I care about. I can't let that happen this time around." _"Err… wait, how long was I out?"

"Just a day."

Robin sighed, slightly relieved, then with his mouth still open, let out a wide yawn, before a stinging sensation made him close his eyes, and snap his mouth shut, following that with a pained hiss. "Ricken… where can I get to some water? I've got blood in my eyes."

"Wait, how?!" Ricken asked, grabbing hold of Robin's hand.

"I must of cut open my forehead when I bashed my head when I woke up." Robin said, following Ricken, keeping his eyes closed, and placing his hand on his forehead, feeling the warm wet feel of blood.

"Oh… That's right, cuts above the eyes bleed… a lot."

* * *

><p><em>Early Morning<br>The Northroad_

Robin looked skyward as the group met at the gates of the camp, ready to march along the "Northroad" which, Chrom had explained was a long trade route between Regna Ferox and Ylisstol.

He was also informed that there weren't any notable villages along it, despite the frequency of travelers, which did mean that any supplies they needed, they needed to have already. However, he knew that wasn't entirely the case- as overlooking a map that Chrom had given him, he spotted a small village, which should, by all means have a shop or two that could stock things they needed along the road, although Chrom was quick to point out how out of the way it was.

He let out a long sigh, and took in a breath of the morning air, which was slightly cool. Winter was fast approaching, and he could tell that the current pleasant weather wouldn't likely last— and he had also been told that once they reach Ferox proper, it was going to be cold. _Very Cold._

"Is everyone ready? We've a long march ahead." Chrom said firmly, overlooking the Shepherds.

"W-wait for me!" A voice called out, causing Robin to look back, and he spotted a man wearing green armor running up to the group.

"Stahl?" Chrom said, slightly puzzled at the green armored knight.

"Why am I the last to hear about this expedition to Ferox?" The knight asked, panting as he caught up.

"Huh? Vaike was supposed to..." Lissa said, shaking her head, and then looking back at Vaike. "Vaike! Did you forget to tell Stahl about our mission?" She shouted, clearly irritated at Vaike.

"The Vaike never forgets! ...I just don't always remember, is all..." Vaike said, tossing off Lissa's complaint.

"Ugh... I swear, you'd forget your own name if you weren't constantly saying it yourself! Speaking of which, are you SURE you remembered your axe this time?" Lissa complained.

"Hey! That was one time! ...Okay, twice, but training sessions don't count. Anyway, I got it right here. Teach is loaded and ready for action!" Vaike retorted, swinging around his axe before turning to Stahl, "Glad to have you along, Stahl, ol' buddy."

"That makes one of us. I was in such a hurry, I had to miss breakfast! There were muffins, and cakes, and... Well, I can tell you all about it while we march..." Stahl said, clearly disappointed that he didn't get to eat the breakfast that was prepared for the Shepherds, a disappointment that Robin shared, having been dealing with his split forehead thanks to his self-inflicted rude awakening.

"Your name is Stahl, right?" Robin said, turning to Stahl.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Robin. This is Stahl, one of our finest." Chrom said, apologizing for not fully introducing all of the Shepherds beforehand.

"Hello, Robin. Miriel told me we had a new Shepherd." Stahl responded, "Er, Miriel's one of our mages. She should catch up soon."

* * *

><p><em>Midday<em>

Robin rubbed his eyes, looking forwards. A fight was not what he had wanted to find himself in, not now. But as he saw the shambling creatures in front of him, he knew he was in for one.

"Gods, have the Risen spread this far?" Chrom shouted, spotting the shambling creatures himself.

"Everyone, remember what we're up against!" Chrom said to the rest of the group.

_"Like I could forget- those things are…"_ Robin thought, _"brutal, and if what happened the other night is any indication, these will be just as bad. I pray to whatever gods are out there, that they don't all know Luna."_

"Mya ha! They'll remember ME once I drive my axe into their... Wait... My axe..." Vaike laughed, but quickly gained a look and sound of panic as he quickly realized his axe was not in his hands. "Where's my axe?! I had it a second ago!"

"Vaike, this is no time for jokes..." Chrom said, his voice clearly serious, and rightfully so.

"I'm serious! It's gone, but I JUST had it! It's got to be around here somewhere..." Vaike said, his voice strikingly concerned.

"Keep to the rear, then! The battle is nigh!" Chrom stated. "Got a plan forming, Robin?"

"Give me a moment here…" Robin said. _"So many of them. It'd be very hard to try to fight them head on. We'd get overwhelmed and we'd be sending people home in coffins. I figure me and Frederick can handle a fair deal of the fighting ahead. That… would create a divide in the enemy force, and get a lot of the pressure off the others. Once the majority of our foes are dead or weakened, the rest can sweep in…" _Robin let out a breath, and then turned to Chrom. "Chrom, take your sister and move east. Cut into the woods. Lissa, once Chrom escorts you to the woods, separate from him- He'll move forward, and help draw a few of the risen. Vaike, give Chrom some cover. Sully, take Virion, get him to the far side of the eastern woods. Stahl, follow Sully, and fight with her— give her support, but don't draw the enemy's attention. Virion, once you're at the far side of the woods, get your bow ready. I'm not sure how this enemy will react. Also, since the risen on that hill have Axes: Sully, Stahl, exchange weapons."

"So you're having us hide out of the main fight?" Chrom asked. "What of you and Frederick?"

"Frederick and I will charge northward, and lure out a few of the enemies. I'm still the only mage we have- at least until Miriel catches up, and as was proved the other night, I'm not that bad with a blade." Robin replied.

"Are you trying to protect me simply because I'm a prince, Robin?" Chrom asked. "That's a nice thought, but I'd rather it that I fight."

"I'm not protecting you for your status, I'm simply planning to win." Robin responded. "I want to make sure none of us die. Right now, that actually means dividing the enemy's attention, and protecting your sister. The vials of Elixirs can only go so far. We need a staff-user out here."

"Alright. I trust you, Robin." Chrom smiled, "You haven't let us down yet."

"I don't plan to." Robin nodded.

"Alright, Shepherds, you heard our tactician. Let's put that plan into motion and put the undead back in the earth!" Chrom shouted.

"Right away, Captain Chrom!" Sully shouted.

* * *

><p><em>Plegian Desert<em>

"So… thirsty…" A blue haired girl said, looking skyward. The sun bared down on her, stinging her eyes as it brightly shown in the cloudless sky, and she panted in the heat, wiping the sweat from her forehead and then licking the back of her hand. "Ugh… Salty." she shook her head and kept walking, hoping to reach the town in the distance.

"Hey! That girl…" a woman shouted from a direction that the girl couldn't tell- the heat was getting to her head alongside her lack of water. She could hardly tell anything anymore. She tried to face the voice, but couldn't place it's origin. It had been at least three days since she woke up. She didn't quite know why she was in the desert. She _had_ a full canteen when she did, but at this point, it was thoroughly empty- and all she had were the clothes she wore, her armor, and an Axe that she knew as Hauteclere… and a simple goal in her head: _find her father._

"Someone come quick, there's a child out there!"

"Get her some water!"

* * *

><p>The blue haired girl opened her eyes, unsure of her location yet again- her vision was too hazy. Something cool was resting on her head, and she couldn't feel the sun beating down on her: it was much cooler wherever she was.<p>

"Oh, you're awake!" a female voice said, as the girl sat up, rubbing her eyes. "Thank the Gods."

The girl let out a sigh. She could tell she was indoors. She spotted her armor resting in the corner of the room, alongside a spell book and her axe. She turned her head to the right, seeing a fairly tan-skinned woman sitting on a chair next to the bed she was sitting on. "Thank you." She said.

"It's not a problem, but why was a child like you wandering the desert, so heavily armed at that?" the woman said.

"I-I don't know." The girl responded. "All I can remember is my father. He's a white haired man with robes like mine. Have you seen him? His name is Robin."

"No." The woman shook her head. "Say, who are you anyways?"

"My name is Morgan." Morgan said, looking back at the woman.

"Morgan.. that's an odd name. You must be Ylissean, I suppose." The woman replied. "I'm Inara. …and you're in Plegia."

"…I suppose that's an answer for where I am." Morgan replied.

"INARA! HIDE! HIDE THAT GIRL TOO!" A man shouted from the front room. "It's the Grimleal! They've come for sacrifices, or slaves.. or it doesn't matter!"

"What?!" Morgan exclaimed.

"Hurry and—!" The man suddenly broke into a gargled scream as the sound of a door being kicked down, followed by the sound of something striking the man.

"Two women. This man was tryin' to hide 'em, Captain!" The man shouted. Morgan tilted her head staring at the intruder. He wore very light armor, only pauldrons formed into skulls. He brandished a Silver Axe. "Now hold still you two, and we won't hurt you…" He said, a sickening grin on his face.

"I… don't believe you." Morgan said, sliding herself back to her armor and weapon. She could get her breastplate on and fastened pretty quickly, but it was her axe that mattered now. She gripped the handle of the weapon, and stared at her foe.

"Does this child think she can take the Zhar slavers?" The man chuckled. "I'd rather not reduce the sale price. You've got a fair body. You'd fetch quite a bit of coin, going to either a man with such tastes or to the Grimleal."

"I'm not going to be sold." Morgan replied. "I may not look it, but I'm a master strategist, just like my father. And I know quite a bit of combat." She held the Hauteclere and watched the man.

"Guess you don't gimme a choice, girl!" the man shouted.

"Nope, I don't." Morgan replied. She let go of her weapon with her left hand, swinging it down. "Ignis." Her body immediately became alight with a pink fire, which flowed into her swing. She slammed her weapon into the man, striking his shoulder. Letting go of her axe momentarily, "Game over", she punched him in the gut, transferring the fire in the form of an explosion that rippled through his body, causing a blast of blood to fly from his mouth, nose, ears.

"Just… who are you?" Inara asked, stumbling back, away from Morgan.

"Like I said, my name is Morgan, and I know a bit of how to fight… and like my father, I'm an aspiring tactician. But… I don't know much else beside that… can you help me with the armor? I'm going to drive off these bandits."

"For my husband, yes." Inara said, grabbing Morgan's breast plate, and helping her fasten it to her chest. As they pulled the last locking buckle into place, Morgan heard a crash from outside, causing her eyes to fixate in front of her. She grabbed the tome that sat on the table, and affixed the binding chain to her belt to keep it secure.

"Yakov's dead!" Someone shouted, "There's a rebellion!"

Morgan bolted outside as quickly as she could, reaching the doorway of the house. Her eyes scanned the town. There were quite a few bandits, and each could prove to be a formidable foe. "Wyvern Lord, Grandmaster, Berserker. Two Heroes. A General. Three Sages. A Sorcerer… Dread Fighter. Dark Flier… and there could be more." she muttered to herself. She shifted her eyes to the center of town. A woman atop a black pegasus held a villager by the collar.

"Didn't anyone tell you what happens when you defy us?" the woman said. "The punishment for defying Zhar is total annihilation or capture… if we think you're worth good coin." She spit into the man's eye. "You're not." She threw the man forward, slamming the back of his head into the side of the village well, which he fell into. The woman kept her head staring at the well. "This town… Burn it!" she shouted.

"Yes, Captain Taibassi!" a pink haired woman in armor nearly identical to Morgan's said. "You heard the captain! Set fire to it all. Kill the men, unless they prove particularly strong. Take the women."

"As for you…" Taibassi said, staring down the well, "_Sum inter abundantes lux caeli! Tu, ad portas inferni! Et de terris vivens ad terram mortuum, scito furoris tonitrui! THIS ENDS NOW!_ MJOLNIR!" The skies grew dark at Taibassi's powerful spell, which took form in a spectacular bolt of lightning which traveled down the well, triggering an explosion which ruptured the ground, sending jets of steam out in nearly every direction. She suddenly shifted her attention to Morgan. "And for you… Kara! That girl. You take care of her."

"Captain?" Kara, the pink haired woman turned towards Taibassi, whose pegasus was lifting off into the air. "Understood." She nodded, turning to face Morgan, drawing a red and silver sword from a sheath on her side. "You should just surrender now." Kara said. "You're gonna reduce your sell price getting scarred up… It's a loss we can take."

"I don't think so." Morgan replied, readying her axe. "_Hmm… she's powerful… but… if I combine the attacks… maybe…"_

"Very well." Kara said, "TAKE THIS! SOL!" She shouted, as a glowing light surrounded her weapon. Morgan responded to Kara's movement and dodged. "Hmm.. you're more skilled than you let on."

"You don't know a thing…" Morgan chided. "I've learned from the best."

"Either way, you're gonna be on the ground, and then in a cage. And then, probably in a Noble's bedroom." Kara laughed.

"Let's see you try!" Morgan responded, sliding her left leg into a position. _"She wears the robes of a Grandmaster, but is as dumb as a nail."_ Kara tripped, falling into Morgan's trick. "GREAT…!" She shouted, lighting herself ablaze, preparing for an Ignis, but moved her axe in a different motion, knocking Kara skyward. She leapt immediately, her axe swinging in a combined motion. She slammed it into Kara, then, brought it over her shoulder, "AETHER!" She slammed her weapon into Kara, piledriving her into the ground. Her left fist implanted itself into Kara's chest, and a blast of pink fire shot away from the woman. Kara was dead- nothing more than a bloody mess on the sand. Morgan then turned to face the rest.

"Well, well… you are tough." Taibassi's voice caught Morgan by surprise. Her eyes widened, having realized her grave mistake- having become so focused on killing Kara, she lost track of Taibassi. "Oh well.. MJOLNIR!"

A surge of pain triggered a scream from Morgan as a brilliant blast of lightning magic coursed through her body. Her world went black.

* * *

><p><em>The Northroad<em>

"So what's the plan then?"

"Stahl, Sully." Robin nodded at the two cavaliers. "You two- you're gonna hit first, when I give the signal, move in and wreck that Risen Chief. Be careful though, he's gonna hit a lot harder than the rest of the Risen… I'd suggest Stahl make the first move, since, as far as I can tell, he can take a hit a bit better than you, Sully— also, he has a Sword, which offers an advantage over the chief's axe in its design. Once you've done what you can, back up, and Chrom and I will move in…"

"Gotcha, but don't make any more comments on anyone being tougher than me!" Sully said, glaring back at Robin, taking hold of the lance she had taken from one of the Risen earlier.

"On the count of three then," Robin said, as all four nodded, each readying their weapons. Robin took in a breath- Stahl and Sully would lead the attack as planned, charging straight down the Northroad, and then he and Chrom would flank the Risen Chief from the side.

"One." Chrom said, as Robin nodded.

"Two."

"Three!" Chrom said, watching as Sully and Stahl snapped the reins of their horses. Stahl's steed leapt as he approached the Risen Chief. He quickly turned and implanted his blade into its side.

"My turn!" Sully exclaimed, driving her lance into the Risen Chief's chest, and quickly pulling it back as it tried to knock her off her horse with its hand, and strike Stahl with its axe.

"It fights like a big barbarian…" Robin said, as he ran alongside Chrom, their swords drawn.

"Well, that puts us at an advantage!" Chrom said, stabbing the Risen chief with Falchion. Robin watched as Chrom's blow landed and the Risen chief staggered back, letting loose a tremendous roar is it raised its axe-bearing hand into the air.

"Wrong move." Robin said, as the Risen exposed itself. He dashed in and sliced it vertically, and it fell backwards, dead.

"Thanks, friend." Chrom said, nodding at Robin.

"Proud to be, Chrom." Robin said back, sheathing his sword. "This battle's over."

"Finally and good riddance." Chrom said, sheathing Falchion. "But if they're appearing this far up the Northroad..."

"Then no path is safe. We'll need to stay wary." Frederick stated.

"Yes, especially as night falls." Robin said.

Stahl turned back and let out a long sigh of relief. "That… was a battle!" He said, clearly relieved. "Although, now I'm hungry…"

"Aww… Teach didn't get to do anything." Vaike complained.

"Besides wind up bloody…" Lissa said. "But don't feel too bad, Vaike."

Robin let out a hearty chuckle as he looked at the rest of the shepherds.

* * *

><p><em>The Next Day<br>Near the Feroxi Border_

Robin tilted his head, looking at a white colored Pegasus. It was already armored, so he knew that it must have belonged to a Pegasus Knight, which judging by the looks of things, he assumed dead. Or risen. He couldn't quite tell, but what mattered was it was a Pegasus that no longer had a rider, which meant one of a few possibilities to Robin; taking a quick survey of the surroundings, the worst of them was quelled, however. Even so he knew he had to be careful- it could be a boon, or it could be a trap, and he couldn't be totally sure, "Well, what do we have here?" he said, rhetorically.

"Hey, is that what I think it is?" Lissa called out, looking at the Pegasus.

"It's a pegasus, all right. I think it's hurt." Chrom said, walking up to it. Robin made a quick note, recalling that Pegasi were said to be adverse to men, but, he had seen Chrom approach the Pegasi in the Ylissean stables before the meeting with Emmeryn, so that aversion wasn't that drastic. "Let's just have a look here..." He walked up to the pegasus, but it quickly neighed and nearly kicked him in the face. "WHOA! Down, girl! Easy there!" He stammered as he backed away from the pegasus.

"Captain, one moment!" Sumia called out from behind, but as she approached, she tripped, falling flat on her face.

"Sumia! Are you all right?" Chrom shook his head, and went to help her up, but she got up on her own. "...Those boots of yours again?"

"No! I mean, yes! I mean..." She said with a sigh.

"Well, come no closer. This beast is crazed!" Chrom replied in reference to the pegasus.

"It's okay, Captain. I can handle this..." She said, walking up to the Pegasus, "Shhh... Easy now, girl. I won't hurt you." She said softly, and the pegasus stopped bucking around angrily. She placed her hand on the side of its face, and petted its mane, "Shhh..." She sounded like she was trying to get the Pegasus to calm down, but Robin note she was actually humming to it.

"How did she calm it so quickly?" Robin asked, turning to Chrom and Lissa.

"That's incredible, Sumia!" Lissa exclaimed.

"I've never seen anything like it." Chrom said, his face showing a sense of bewilderment and awe at how easily Sumia had calmed the Pegasus, which moments ago had attempted to kill him.

"Oh, it's...it's nothing. Really. I just have a way with animals, I guess." Sumia said, humbly turning her head down as she blushed from the compliments.

"I should say so!" Chrom replied.

"You all go on ahead. I'll dress her wounds and catch up as soon as we're able." Sumia said, surprisingly firmly.

"We can make time to wait for you." Chrom told her, and readied to signal the march to stop, but Sumia shook her head.

"Thank you, Captain. But I can manage. Every moment is precious when all of Ylisse is in danger." She said, turning back to the Pegasus.

"Right, then. Be safe, Sumia." Chrom replied signaling the others to keep moving.

"As you command, sir." She replied as Chrom turned to head back to the rest of the Shepherds.

* * *

><p><em>Regna Ferox<em>

"So you want to fight for me in the coming tournament, boy?" A tough, brown skinned warrior said, looking at Lucina. "Well, mind proving your skills against my current Champion- Lon'qu?" the warrior said, nodding at the silent man with scruffy hair.

"Very well." Lucina said, drawing Falchion from its sheath. "_…This might be a tough fight… If what I've heard from Owain was true, Lon'qu was a legendary fighter… I'll have to use everything I've got… but I can't go overboard, or I'll kill him…"_

"I'll make this quick." Lon'qu said, drawing his katana-like Killing Edge, ready to fight.

Lucina nodded, "May the best warrior win." she said, and Lon'qu made the first move- charging straight towards her.

"_He's fast." _Lon'qu slashed at her, who rolled underneath his strike. "_But his technique has yet to truly be defined… it'll be over in an instant: I'm the better fighter."_ Lucina turned swiftly, "Aether." She tossed Falchion in the air, leaping to evade another strike from Lon'qu, and swiftly bashed him in the chest, and swung Falchion around, placing a decent gouge in the Myrmidon's side.

"I-I submit…" Lon'qu said, falling to the ground, clutching his chest, as blood started to flow from his wound.

"…Someone get a Priest!" The black man called out. "Well boy— err, what was your name anyway?"

"Marth. My… name is… Marth, Khan Basilio." Lucina responded.

"I don't know how you did that— unless you're actually the Hero King… Not a fighter yet has been able to best Lon'qu, but that's beside the point. What matters is you said you want to fight for me in the upcoming tournament?" Basilio said, a wide smile on his face.

"Yes… however, it is because I am in need of aid." Lucina said, looking at the Khan.

"And what would that be, boy?" Basilio asked.

"A war will soon break out between Ylisse and Plegia… I request that you form an alliance with Ylisse. Prince Chrom and Lady Emmeryn will need Feroxi aid." Marth explained.

"Are you certain of that?" Basilio "A war? Oh great."

"Without Feroxi aid, Ylisse will fall, and soon thereafter, so will the world, however, if you aid Ylisse, Plegia's coffers are yours." Lucina continued to explain.

"You speak if you've seen the future."

"I can't explain any more than what I have. I've shown you my strength- so…"

"I don't buy any of that 'destiny' crap, but you're one hell of a fighter. Win me this tournament, and Ylisse will have its alliance." Basilio laughed.

"That is good. I'll be back on the eve of the tournament." Marth said, turning and walking away from the Khan.

"Hey, don't you want a warm bed or somethi— he's gone?" Basilio said, calling after Lucina, who had already gotten out of sight.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>First Rule of Chapter 2 Lunatic+, you don't talk about Chapter 2 Lunatic+. Other than that Morgan is effectively a Grandmaster, but fights with an Axe... wonder why that could be? Pretty easy guess though, since her weapon also happens to be Hauteclere. Also: Great Aether = Ignis+Aether, nothing really special. Reviews are well loved!


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